Artificial limb.



No. 630,630 Patented Aug. 8, 1899. M. E. RICE.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB. m nmion filed Jan. 23, 1899.;

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILO E. RICE, OF KAhISAS CITY, MISSOURI.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 63 O,630,dated August8, 1899. Application filed January 23, 1899. Serial No. 703,156. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MILO E. RICE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri,have invented new and useful Improvements in Artificial Limbs, of whichthe folat its upper end into an annular portion 6,

having circular grooves f in its opposite sides.

lowing is a specification.

Myinvention relates to artificial legs; and it consists in the peculiarand advantageous combinations and the adaptation of parts hereinafterdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of anartificial leg constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is anenlarged transverse section taken in the plane indicated by the line 2 2of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig.4 is a detail side elevation illus trating the connection between thethigh-bar and leg-bar. Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4.Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section illustrating the connection ofthe Achilles tendon to the wood portion of the foot. Fig. 7 is anenlarged sectional view illustrating the appurtenances of the Achillestendon.

In the said drawings similar-letters designate corresponding parts inall of the several views, referring to which- I A is the main portion ofmy improved artificial leg, which is of wood and made hollow, and B is aleather stripdesigned to be secured upon the leg of the wearer above theknee-joint and effect a connection of the artificial leg thereto. Thestrip B is provided adjacent to its ends with hooks a, which lie fiatupon the same, so as notto catch into the apparel of the wearer, and aredesigned for the engagement of the usual securingrlace. (Not shown.)

C is a thigh-bar fixedly connected to ,the

strip B, and D is a leg-bar fixedly connected I ing a circular groove din its inner face around the projection c. The bar D merges This annularportion e of bar D receives the lateral projection c of the bar 0, afterthe manner shown in Fig. 5, and is secured thereon by means of a screwE, which has a threaded shank g, arrangedin the tubular projection c,and also has a flat head h, corresponding in diameter to theenlargements of the two bars. The screw E is also provided in the innerside of its head h with a circular groove 1'. In the grooves f of theannular enlargement e on bar D and the grooves (1 din the bar 0 andscrew-head, respectively,are arranged rings F, of soft metal, thepurpose of which is to permit of free movement of the bars C D withrespect to each other and yet effectually prevent rattling and creaking.When the rings F become worn, the wear may be taken up by tightening thescrew E, while when it is necessary to replace the said rings with newrings the parts may be readily disconnected for such purpose.

In order to prevent casual loosening of the screw E, thehead 71. thereofisprovided with three (more or less) peripheral indentations j.

These indentations are designed for the engagement of a locking key kwhich is arranged in a depression is and connected by a screw Z to thebar C, so as to permit of its ready-removal when it is desired to adjustthe screw E or disconnect the parts of the joint, which is theknee-joint, of the leg.

G isa foot which comprises a lower'portion m, of felt, and asupe'rposedportion n,of wood. The felt is light and elastic in character and isextended in advance of the wood portion, as shown, so as to render theforward portion of the foot yieldingand enable it to flex like theforward portion of the human foot. The felt is also extended beyond therear end of the wood portion and preferably up in rear of said end, asshown, in orderto render the foot yielding at the heel. Y

H and I'are forward-and rear cushion-sections of felt or other materialarranged upon the wood portion at of the foot. These sections arearranged, as shown in Fig. 1, so that their upper portions will takeslightly within recesses n or, disposed in front and rear of a V-shapedportion n at the lower end of the main portion A of the-leg. I

J is an ankle joint or connection between the leg portion A and the woodportion a of the foot. This joint J comprises straps 19, connected tothe main portion A, at opposite sides thereof, and depending therefrom,a cross-bar 0*, having angular end portions let into similar aperturesin the straps p and also having globular enlargements s at oppositesides of its middle, a yoke 25, loosely straddling the reduced middleportion of the roller and adapted to rock thereon in the direction ofthe length of the foot, and a bolt 10, arranged between and pivot-allyconnected to the arms of the yoke and movable in a direction transverseof the foot. The bolt it, which is threaded, as shown, extends looselythrough an opening 1) in the wood portion of the foot and into a recessw in the under side thereof, where it is equipped with a washer 00, anut y, and a coiled spring 2, of rectangular form in crosssection,interposed between the nut and washer. The yoke t permits ofalongitudinal rocking movement of the foot, and the globularenlargements s of the bar 0' bear in correspondingly-shapedleather-lined depressions a in the upper side of the wood portion 71 ofthe foot and support the main portion A of the leg upon the wood portionof the foot without interfering with the longitudinal or transverserocking movements of the latter, which is an important advantage. Thespring 2 serves to yieldingly hold the wood portion of the foot againstthe felt sections II I and enable it to move and accommodate itself tothe said sections as they are compressed and expand.

K is the Achilles tendon of the leg. This tendon, which is of buckskinor other flexible material, extends through registered openings in thepart a of the main portion A, the felt section I, and the wood portionat of the foot and is provided at its lower end with a loop I), whichreceives a bolt 0, passed transversely through the wood portion of thefoot. Above the part 17, of the main portion A of the leg the tendon Kis surrounded by a sleeve d, of felt or other suitable material, whichin turn is surrounded by a coiled spring c. This spring is interposedbetween the part n of the leg portion A and a washer f, of rawhide orother material, which surrounds a threaded metallic tube g, secured onthe upper portion of the tendon, and is arranged below a nut h on saidtube, as shown. The purpose of the spring 6' is to yieldingly hold therear part of the foot portion 11 against the rear interposed section I,of felt, as shown, and its tension may be readily regulated as desiredby simply adjusting the nut h.

L is a forward tendon, of buckskin or other suitable material, whichextends through registered openings in the felt section II and the woodportion 12 of the foot. This tendon is provided below a shoulder in thewood portion 71 of the foot with a felt sleeve, a coiled spring, ametallic threaded tube, a rawhide washer, and a nut similar to those onthe Achilles tendon. Said forward tendon is conportion A of the leg, asshown.

nected by a transverse bolt n with the main From this it follows thatwhile the tendons K L securely connect the foot to the main portion A ofthe leg they do not interfere with the foot rocking in the direction ofits' length and also transverse of its length within certain limits.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an artificialleg, an upper main portion having depending straps at opposite sides,and a cross-bar fixed in and interposed between the straps and havingglobular portions at opposite sides of its middle; -in combination withafoot having depressions in its upper side shaped in conformity to andreceivin g the globular portions of the cross-bar, a yielding connectionbetween the middle of the cross-bar and the foot, forward and rearcushion-sections of felt or other suitable material interposed betweenthe upper main portion and the foot, and forwardand rear flexible andyielding connections between the upper main portion and the foot,substantially as specified.

2. In an artificial leg, an upper main portion having depending strapsat opposite sides, and a cross-bar fixed in and interposed between thestraps and having globular portions at opposite sides of its middle, incombination with a foot having depressions in its upper side shaped inconformity to and receiving the globular portions of the cross-bar, ayoke loosely mounted on the middle of the cross-bar, a threaded boltconnected in a hinged manner to the yoke and loosely extending throughan opening in the foot, a nut on said bolt, a spring interposed betweenthe nut and the foot, forward and rear cushion-sections of felt or othermaterial interposed between the up per main portion and the foot, andforward and rear flexible and yielding connections between the uppermain portion and the foot, substantially as specified.

3. In an artificial leg, an upper main portion of wood; in combinationwith a foot comprising a lower portion of felt and an upper portion ofwood; the felt extending in advance of the wood and also up at the rearend of the same so as to cover said end, forward and rear sections offelt interposed between the main portion of the leg and the wood portionof the foot, a yielding connection between the main portion of the legand the foot arranged between the interposed felt sections, and yieldingand flexible connections between the main portion and the foot extendingthrough said felt sections, substantially as specified.

4. In an artificial leg, an upper, main, hollow portion closed at itslower end; in com= bination with a foot, a cushion interposed betweenthe main portion and the foot, a tendon of flexible material connectingthe main portion and the foot and extending through the interposedcushion and the lower end of the main portion, a threaded metallic tubesecured on the tendon, asleeve of-elastic mamy hand in presence of twosubscribing witterial surrounding said tube, a coiled spring nesses.surrounding the sleeve, a nut mounted on the threaded tube, and a washerinterposed be- 7 MILO RICE 5 tween said nut and the spring,substantially Witnesses:

as specified. JAMES C. WILLIAMS,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set W. W. BUCHANAN.

